Chocolate milk can stay in school lunch program, Biden administration decides

Elementary school cafeterias will be allowed to continue serving flavored milk such as chocolate and strawberry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. The Biden administration had initially floated a ban aimed at cutting consumption of added sugars by younger children.

The decision is one of several changes now locked in by the department's Food and Nutrition Service to its sweeping update to requirements that govern school meal programs. First proposed in February 2023, the updates are now set to take effect for the 2025 school year. 

"School meals matter. In some cases, in many cases, in far too many cases, it is often the only meal or meals that youngsters may get during the day," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters Tuesday ahead of the announcement.